Hardy as a Successful Creator of Female Characters with Special Reference to Tess to the D’urbervilles

Abstract

This paper aims to present Hardy as a successful creator of female characters. Hardy’s novels are illumined with a galaxy of fine women characters. The Wessex novels are rich so far as female characters are concerned. Wessex novels have rich material for women characters. The heroines or main women characters can be divided under three groups. The first group consists of high class females as Tess, Sue, Eustacia, Bathsheba and Elizabeth-Jane. The second group includes female of less personal importance though pictured in details- Elfride, Ethelberta, Grace, Viviette and Anne. The third group is a mixed one. Females who are steady but of much less importance such as Paula, Fancy, Marty, Arabella, Thomasin, Lucetta. These female characters portray different roles. The writer has shown his vast knowledge of their nature. Hardy is undoubtedly an expert character painter. He shows a great power of portraying his women. In many aspects he can be compared with Shakespeare so far as his heroines are concerned.